Testimonials

"I have never felt more supported and understood."

Nicky. You are the most beautiful soul I have met on my healing journey. After losing so many friends and family over the years, and the most traumatic being my soul sister, it is so comforting to be apart of your loving network.

From the moment I connected with the others online, I felt comfort. I felt welcomed and like I belonged. It’s interesting — I have a hard time even sharing my feelings to my family about our loss, but it is so easy to do within your group. There was no expectation and I could just be me, in all the different ways I felt on any given day. I have never felt more supported and understood, despite all of us having different stories and journeys.

Thank you for being you. Thank you for creating a place of comfort for me to accepted into. Thank you for the warmth, love and openness my heart now feels.”

~Lindsay Rose Turner, Canada

"There were days when this was the only thing that got me out of my bedroom."

"I have been attending Nicky’s Yoga classes and the "Grief Circle" workshop for some years. I have to say Nicky's presence and voice is that of an angel.

I have been struggling for some time with grief having lost two husbands. I have found Yoga to be a calming tool in my search for peace with my losses. In Nicky's classes one of the questions she asks that is unique to her practice is "Does anyone have an area needing attention." My hand wouldimmediately go to my heart and Nicky would include Yoga tools to help open my heart. Yoga has been such a gift in my healing journey; I would recommend the quiet stillness that can be reached with just an hour under the guidance of Nicky.

There were days when this was the only thing that got me out of my bedroom. I am so grateful for the practice and Nicky."

~ Selina Serenelli, Canada

"I feel like I have made more progress on this grief journey during this course than I have in the last 3.5 years. I can honestly say I am HAPPY, and full of love."

"I just want to say thank you all (in the support group) for being here, being supportive, and being so honest. I love how we celebrate the growth, but it was really helpful to me to see how we all had "off" days, too. Struggles.

And special thanks to Nicky, for reminding me always to just let the off days exist, notice them, and be gentle. I feel like I have made more progress on this grief journey in the last few months than I have in the last 3.5 years. I can honestly say I am HAPPY, and full of love.

I feel so thankful for you, and so blessed! I know I did the work myself, and I was ready for it, but your encouragement and tools and guidance helped so much.

I feel like I am physically lighter because my soul is lighter. I feel like my old self, but also a much deeper, cooler, more loving self too."

~Maggie Theisen, USA

"I will definitely be encouraging some of my counseling clients to connect with you and your services."

"The best thing about working with you is your gentle ways, your hard earned wisdom, and your sharing from a place of passion and truth. You walk your talk and teach the skills and tools that will help others to open up their own personal journey through the grief process! I will definitely be encouraging some of my counseling clients to connect with you and your services."

~Maggie Reidy, Canada

"The biggest benefits I received from working with you were release, openness and feeling less alone."

"I was a little hesitant as I didn't know what to expect; but, I liked your open, honest, very grounded approachyour personal stories and the kindness you brought to a heavy topic. The biggest benefits I received from working with you were release, openness and feeling less alone. I would absolutely recommend you. You are amazing and I love and support your big vision! "

~Mandi Mack, Canada

"Your guidance was incredibly helpful in bringing me back home to my heart so that I can heal."

"I just did the breath you taught in your 'Release your Grief' series and wow! The vibration of the sound brought some achy pain to the surface of my heart which I always see as a good thing, coming up to pass away. It has been hard for me to witness the intense emotions that come with my loss (I often want to avoid them) and your guidance was incredibly helpful in bringing me back home to my heart so that I can heal. Thank you."

~ Carly Lauder, Canada

Case Study: Alex Antonino

Can you share a little bit about the loss you went through?

On May 23, 2013 the love of my life and boyfriend of 2.5 years, Bernie, passed away unexpectedly from a massive stroke. On May 22nd, I went into the hospital holding my best friend's hand. On May 23rd, I left alone.

What was your greatest struggle after going through that loss?

Learning how to coexist with loss. Learning how to form a relationship with someone who is no longer in physical form. Learning how to talk about a topic no one knows how to wade through. Learning how to be the me he always saw in me. And above all, learning how to ask for what I need. In life, in grief, from others, from myself.

What hesitations did you have about joining Love Your Grief?

I found Love Your Grief within weeks after Bernie. I didn't have any big hesitations at all. The only bit of nervousness that came up for me, was exposing myself to so many others and my story. In some way, initially, I was very protective of my loss. I wanted to nurture it the same way I nurtured our love. I wanted to protect my heart and protect his legacy. But very quickly I realized that by opening up about this huge life changing thing, by talking with strangers, by following the program, by following the guided meditations, I was and continue to honor him in a much more profound way than I ever could by holding him and his loss as just my weight to bare.

What did you like best about Love Your Grief?

Well, aside from the incredibly inspiring people and feeling deeply humbled by their willingness to open and share a piece of their story with me, the work itself is powerful. It allows you to unravel pieces of this process in a humane and vulnerable way, while teaching you how to be receptive to all of feels and hurdles and confusions that come up in grief. Nicky is one of the most sincere and kind and lovely people I've ever had the privilege to work with. And somehow I felt like she was creating the safest place for me to rediscover life. For me to breathe again. For all of us to love every part of ourselves, the good, the scary, the tragic. At the end of the day, it's empowering ourselves to find peace, healing, gratitude and even joy when you didn't believe it to be possible.

What results/benefits did you receive from Love Your Grief?

Well immediately, I resonated with the holistic approach. I've known people who try to run away or hide from their pain. It's a pretty natural impulse frankly. And it's okay, because it's where they are in their journey. But I knew, I needed to do this with clear eyes and an open heart. I knew that this needed to be a natural process for me. That I stood a better chance of finding something real by getting really real with my grief. By treating my grief and the woman I was/am living with it as if I was just as worthy of love as a small child version of myself. Not to mention, I met my best friend Cam and we decided to create our own platform to honor Nicky's work, honor our losses and add value to the world of grief however we can.

What is the most important thing people should know about Love Your Grief?

There is no pressure. This is a scary time. You're hurting, you're lost, you're lonely. But this work, it's your's. At your own pace. It's attainable. It's welcoming. It's a knowing hug. Like maybe, just maybe you can find a sliver of hope again. And you can do it however you'd like. The first time I went through the program, I focused on one section and that section only. I didn't make it beyond that point. But that was okay. The second time around, I bravely did all of the work. But once again, I created my own timeline. You work at your own pace, you do what you are capable of doing. Let go of the pressure we naturally put on ourselves. And just let yourself tip toe through this process however feels right FOR YOU.

Case Study: Cameron Crosley Meyer

Can you share a little bit about the loss you went through?

My husband and the father of my child died on Halloween 2014. One week after our wedding, he was diagnosed with a rare form of pediatric brain cancer. We felt blindsided. Two weeks later, we moved to British Columbia to be closer to his family and friends. It was honestly a whirlwind. He went through numerous surgeries, chemotherapies, radiation, holistic/supplemental/diet protocols, and even a clinical trial. He was the most positive person. He always saw the light in every situation. Often times, he would reassure me that everything would be okay when we would get the "bad news" from the doctors. After 1 1/2 years of treatment, his independence and quality of life diminished very quickly. One morning I came into our bedroom and asked him if he could take his chemotherapy pills. He looked at me and made me sit down on the bed as he held my hand and told me he had made the decision to no longer continue with anymore form of treatment. He was tired, and he was at peace. Five weeks later, he died in the privacy of our own home with his beautiful Mom and I at his side.

What was your greatest struggle after going through that loss?

Missing him as a person. The love we had was incredible. It felt familiar and gave me so much life. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. We had experienced so much together and loved each other so fiercely, it was and is hard to say goodbye to that. It felt very much like we didn't have enough time together. I miss knowing him in this life, still. I miss having my best friend around. Mourning and grieving him as a person, it's different than just mourning the loss…he was just such a good guy. I miss just about everything about him and our life we had together.

What hesitations did you have about joining Love Your Grief?

The fact that it was primarily online based. I was worried that I wouldn't make any connections or feel supported from a program online or over distance. Boy, was I wrong! Not only was Nicky the MOST loving and supportive gal around, but I ended up meeting my now best friend.

What did you like best about Love Your Grief?

It was incredibly thorough and thoughtful. I could feel just how much time and energy Nicky put into the program. She is so honest, too. She is easy to relate to and is not afraid to tell you about her own experiences, all while giving you room to dive into yourself and experience your own. The community is filled with beautiful people. I felt so alone, and almost like an outcast after he died. Suddenly, I was surrounded by all of these people who "got it" and in this safe place of sharing and healing.

What results/benefits did you receive from Love Your Grief?

Wow, so many. I think my favorite skill that I acquired after I participated in the program was learning to be easy on myself. I learned that it is incredibly important honor and go through all of the hard parts of grief, and love those parts. That by doing so, you are honoring the person you are grieving. You are doing the work and they would be so proud. You should be so proud. I think that so often, we try to minimize the experiences that we go through. But in reality, it is so important to recognize that it has taken immense strength to endure what you have. I found a deep appreciation and love for myself through this program. On top of that, as a person who experiences anxiety and panic attacks, Nicky had great suggestions and provided tools that have allowed me to have them less frequently and deal with them in a healthy way when they do arise.

What is the most important thing people should know about Love Your Grief?

It is a safe and loving community and program. I could not recommend this enough to people who have experienced any form of loss. It gave me room to feel exactly what I needed to feel and learn tools to help.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I am grateful for programs like this. Not only for healing, but death can be so isolating. It provides such an incredible way to create community with other people who "get it". I cannot express how much gratitude and appreciation I have for just that.

Case Study: Anita Griffith

Meet Anita Griffith from Deloraine, a small rural town in Tasmania, Australia. Anita is one of my clients and a huge inspiration.

Anita is married and a mother of two wonderful boys, 15 & 21. She and her husband have been together for 22 years. When Anita was a teenager, her dad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The progressive type. His body was ravaged by the disease and he took his life at age 47, when Anita was only 19 years old. Years later, her mother found another lovely partner. Tragically, he also took his life due to emotional issues remaining after a horrific car accident.

To deal with her grief, Anita kept herself busy with her loving family. She became a workaholic and strived for the acceptance of those around her. At age 37, she says her DISease finally caught up to her. She too was diagnosed with M.S. She is worries that her deep-seated and unaddressed grief might have had a role in manifesting the disease.

In 3 short years, Anita went from from working 10-hour days waitressing, to using a walker 24/7. She has not been able to work for 2 years now. Recently, Anita has recommitted to loving herself. She began to practice Qigong and meditation. She also joined my e-course, Love your Grief.

4 weeks into the program, she shared a story in our private Facebook community that was so inspiring that I asked her permission to share it publicly as a case study in how much transformation can happen such a short time.

Hi All,

I just wanted to share with you all what great shifts have been happening for me since beginning this program...

I have confronted an emotional issue with my mother, which was HUGE!! I have battled a longtime with feelings of inadequacy towards my mother. This only heightened when my Dad passed away. Well, today I calmly stated to mother how her actions make me feel this way!!! After 40 years, I finally said it!! I feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. Thank you, Nicky. Being a part of this group has helped me to see my inherent value and love myself.

I have also had massive shifts in releasing stress and tension. My shoulders have a lot more movement. There is no more pain in my neck. I am walking straighter and standing up taller!!! I can even reach the bottom of the pool!!! My legs are definitely lengthening!!!

I could not do this last week!!!

I have even been able to set aside my walker occasionally and use a cane to get about in the house. This is a big deal as I had been relying on my walker 24/7. Ooohhhh, I almost forgot...I feel so much more space in my joints, muscles, and tummy. I love it!

All of the tools we have been given are working wonders!!! Love them all!! The tools you have showed us are awesome. It is so empowering and comforting to know that we have had them all along. Everything we need is inside us.

Nicky, Ifound you and your course at just the right time. And now I feel I have found myself. I can’t thank you enough.

I’ve gotten more from one session with you than I have from years of traditional therapy.

— Amy Drago, USA

At first I had hesitations about the suitability of this workshop for me as a non-practitioner of Yoga; but, I liked your laughter. It really helped to dissipate the tension. You have a really good energy about you and create a very neutral, safe, welcoming, accepting environment. I left with a renewed awareness of my body and how neglected it is. I can see how far I’ve gone and where I CAN/WILL get back to. Thank you! 

— Robin Rombs, Canada

The best part about working with you was your openness, rawness, relatibility and brilliant ideas. The Yoga portion of the workshop was amazing. I was so relaxed and present already from the lead-up and inspired to really embrace what is working and implement more. Thank you for inspiring!

— Carli-Ann Engelman Germain, Canada

Before coming, I had hesitations about how much I could share, and if I would feel comfortable sharing my story and my tears in public. Nicky immediately eased my fears and she made me feel that I was in control of my own experience, without pressure or judgment. The biggest benefit I received was the feeling of clarity and finally being present in the moment.

— Lisa Rokeby, Canada

The most important thing that people should know when working with Nicky is that who you are and where you are is totally OK. Nicky is accepting, nurturing, gentle, empathetic and attentive. I left with tools to work with including grounding, consciousness, and breath work. I would recommend Nicky to anyone and everyone in the energy of love and gratitude! 

— Velda Matchem, Canada

Working with Nicky has helped me let go of feelings like regret, guilt and resentment. I don’t bottle things up any more. I am so much happier in every aspect of my life. I would highly recommend Nicky and her services to anyone who wants to be happier in their life. Working with Nicky is a great stepping stone for positive, personal growth. Her classes are relaxing, safe, uplifting and positive. She cares about how people are progressing and is always there to help.